The Space Trilogy
C. S. Lewis

Lewis is of course one of the greatest Christian authors and apologists of the twentieth century; it goes without saying that his works earn high moral recommendations. The Space Trilogy — Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength — deserves every bit as much praise as any of his other fictional works. Once again Lewis has created books which bring up striking philosophical and theological questions — and suggest answers with far-reaching conclusions — while still telling a marvelously good story. These books are only science fiction on the surface — they do tell tales of space travel and fantastic beings of other planets, but the real drama is in their deeper meaning. The first two books deal — within their sci-fi setting — with philosophical topics such as the true meaning of pleasure and the nature of temptation. The third book draws such philosophical exploration together with fascinating theological ideas about the nature of the universe, the spirit world, and magical power.

Of course, the books are stellar morally, in that the worldview presented is distinctly Christian (while remaining non-preachy). Occasional graphic or disturbing images, plus some polite yet frank discussion of sexuality (within marriage), make these books inappropriate for young children; but young children wouldn’t grasp the grand points made anyway. Lewis’ writing style is characteristically (and deceptively) simple here — the books merit rereading as it is easy to miss the profundity of the content in the simplicity of the language. But rereading such books is a joy, and one I highly recommend.